Harry Kane said he had doubts during his early Tottenham loan spells after being named the world's best footballer in London on Monday. The England captain said that period left him worried he might never establish himself and could eventually be sold.
Doubts during the loan years
Speaking to France Football, Kane said: "I had doubts during my loan spells."
Tottenham loaned Kane to Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City. Kane returned to north London in 2013, and Tottenham considered another loan, but he turned it down, determined to establish himself this time.
Kane said: "I felt the time was right to take the next step."
He added: "If I couldn't establish myself back then, I was afraid I'd keep being loaned out and eventually be sold."
Chance under Tim Sherwood
Under Tim Sherwood, who had taken charge at Tottenham in early 2014, Kane got his chance. He scored against AFC Sunderland in his first Premier League game under Sherwood.
Kane said: "I knew I had taken that opportunity."
Ballon d'Or recognition
On Monday, Kane was named the world's best footballer in London.
Kane said: "We live in a time when awards like this matter to people and influence how they perceive a player's quality. Nobody will ever be able to take this moment or this season away from me. I think titles like this earn you the respect of others and of the fans. That's certain."
Tottenham and Bayern numbers
Kane scored 280 goals and provided 63 assists in 435 competitive appearances for Tottenham. His wait for a trophy ended only after his move to Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023.
GOAL reported that Bayern Munich paid around €95 million for Kane. Since moving to Bayern Munich, Kane has won the German championship twice, the DFB Cup once and the Supercup twice with Bayern.
GOAL said Kane's 2025/26 season proved decisive in his Ballon d'Or win. Kane scored 61 goals in competitive matches for Bayern Munich in 2025/26. After 12 competitive matches this season, Kane has 10 goals and 7 assists. Bayern Munich play Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
